Colmar Estate, on the Pinnacle Road, took out the award for best young pinot noir with its 2014 Colmar Estate Pinot Noir and also took out a second gong for the best young riesling the 2015 Colmar Estate Riesling.

With two good vintages since the Shrapnels came to Orange two years ago, they are heartened by their winning wines, which were chosen from hundreds judged in Orange on September 16.

“We are absolutely over the moon because we knew the competition would be strong,” Mr Shrapnel said.

“I thought we were in with a chance with the riesling, but to get the pinot noir award was wonderful.”

The Shrapnels moved to Orange two years ago.

“We had been coming up to Orange for about 15 years prior to that for visits and had a plan to move here,” Mr Shrapnel said.

He thanked winemaker  Chris Derrez.

“Chris is a Frenchman whose family comes from Burgundy. No wonder he knows how to make great Pinot Noir,” he said.

Tamberlaine also scored two wins, with the 2014 Tamburlaine Wines Reserve Malbec winning the award for best young other red variety in the wine show, and best organic wine with the 2014 Tamburlaine Wines Reserve Malbec.

Tamburlaine winemaker Mark Davidson said everyone associated with Tamburlaine was very excited by the award.

He said the recognition and the success of the winery’s malbec augured well for the future of the variety in the Orange area, due to the climate conditions.

“We are in a unique position here in Orange and I believe it [malbec] is one  of the hero varieties of the region. We have been thinking outside the square at the same time we have some great chardonnay and sauvignon blanc varieties,” he said.

“We are one of the few places in Australia I believe that has the ability to produce top quality malbec.”

Mr Harrison  said Tamberlaine was is forging ahead with an organic emphasis in winemaking and the market was responding positively.

Also taking out an award for the best young sauvignon blanc was the 2015 Cooks Lot Allotment 689 Sauvignon Blanc from Orange.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au

THE winner of the Central Western Daily People’s Choice Award for the most popular wine in the 2015 Orange Wine Show was Gartelmann Wines for their Joey’s Merlot variety.

Gartelmann Wines is based in the Hunter Valley but produced Joey’s Merlot with grapes grown at altitude in the Orange region.

“Congratulations to Gartelmann for taking out the popular vote category in this year’s Orange Wine Show from a very strong group of wines,” said Fairfax Western group managing editor Tony Rhead.

“Gartelmann Wines, like many winemakers based in other areas like the Hunter and the Mudgee district, see the advantages of using premium grapes grown in the Orange district,” Mr Rhead said.

This was the first year the CWD had sponsored the public tasting and invited Orange wine lovers to vote for their favourite drop.

“I would like to thank all those who took the time to consider the wines and vote for their favourite wine, either at the showground pavilion, online or using a coupon we published in the CWD,” Mr Rhead said.

Congratulations to Annette Short who, as the lucky voter, has won a case of medal-winning wine from the 2015 wine show, donated by the Orange Region Vignerons’ Association (ORVA).